by Jayne Castel
***
The half-moon was rising into the night sky when Raedwyn heard the far off shouts of men behind her and knew they had discovered her absence. Drenched with sweat, her heart now hammering from exertion rather than fear, Raedwyn halted for a moment, listening to the sounds of her hunters. Every muscle in her body tensed, like a deer sensing a predator nearby.
The hoary light of the moon turned the forest into an ethereal landscape. Raedwyn had reached a small stream. It burbled gently and twinkled in the moonlight. Raedwyn stepped into the cool water and felt it soak through her boots. She waded upstream in an attempt to mask her trail from her stalkers.
Raedwyn knew not how long or far she fled. She thought of nothing but escape. Finally, scratched, aching and almost collapsing from exhaustion, Raedwyn realized she no longer heard those who hunted her. She knew it was still not safe to tarry but she could go no farther. She had to rest, and she needed to find a safe place to do so.
The stream had widened to a lazy river and the bank rose up steeply on one side. A narrow cleft cut into the bank, obscured by a fringe of thick undergrowth. Raedwyn wriggled under the cloaking underbrush, ducking her head to avoid catching her hair in the brambles. It was a snug fit and in normal circumstances Raedwyn would have worried her hiding place was some unfriendly forest creature’s home, but such was her exhaustion that the damp, mossy ground felt like the softest fur bed and she did not care if she had to share it.
Trembling, Raedwyn pulled her hood up over her face, curled up into a ball and pulled her cloak tightly about her. Sleep swallowed her and she sank into an exhausted, dreamless oblivion.
***
Hunger pains awoke Raedwyn from a deep sleep. Her stomach gurgled loudly, reminding her she had not eaten since the morning of the day before. Damp and aching, Raedwyn wriggled out from the undergrowth and blinked like a sleepy owl. She rubbed her gritty eyes and looked up, surprised to see the sun already high in a cloudless, blue sky. She had slept for a lot longer than she had intended. She only hoped her hunters had overtaken her by now.
Raedwyn knelt over the river’s edge and splashed water over her face. The shock of the cold water cleared the last vestiges of sleep and sharpened her senses. She took a long drink from the river and felt her stomach pangs ease somewhat. However, it was no substitute for food.
After a brisk wash in the river, her skin now tingling from cold, Raedwyn broke her fast with a few handfuls of juicy blackberries. Then she set off again, following last night’s route upstream. For some reason, she felt safer following the river. Since she was now completely lost within the woods, the river represented the only landmark she could steer by.
The day grew steadily warmer and sweat soon trickled down between Raedwyn’s breasts and shoulder blades. The woods grew denser and this worried Raedwyn. If she had been traveling in the right direction, surely the woods would have given way to open country by now. Raedwyn had the niggling feeling she had made a mistake, but she was so intent on escaping Ceolwulf that she decided it was better to continue this way rather than turn back and risk capture. As she journeyed on, Raedwyn kept her senses sharp for any sign that Ceolwulf’s men had picked up her trail. However, apart from the chatter of birds, the forest was silent and Raedwyn began to hope that she really had escaped.
Hunger gnawed at Raedwyn’s belly as she walked. Apart from the odd handful of blackberries, she had not eaten in a day and a half. Lack of food sharpened her senses and made the sights, sounds and smells of the woods even more vivid. Raedwyn’s skirts were now mud stained and ripped from where she had pushed through brambles and undergrowth. Burrs matted her travel cloak and mud caked her boots. She longed to stop by the river and bathe in the cool water but instead she pushed on. This forest had to end before too long, she told herself.
At times, the trees formed a canopy overhead but despite the warm shafts of sunlight that filtered down onto the forest floor, Raedwyn could not see what direction the sun was traveling in. She still journeyed blind, hoping she was heading towards her father.
Finally, the heat of the day waned and dusk approached. So weary that she felt on the edge of tears, Raedwyn collapsed on the riverbank and pulled off her boots. She removed her cloak and hitched her skirts high around her hips. Then, with a sigh of relief, she sank into the cool water and waded into the river. The water was a soothing balm to her aching feet and tired legs. The river eddied gently around her legs; the water was brilliantly clear so she could see her pale feet standing on the pebbly bottom. She splashed water between her legs and over her face and neck, letting it run down her chest and back under her scratchy clothing. She longed to undress completely and loll in the river like an otter but she decided against such recklessness. Ceolwulf’s men were still pursuing her.
Dusk cast a golden hue over the woodland and Raedwyn thought to herself that she had never been in a place so peaceful and lovely. She straightened up from washing and listened to the evening chorus of birdcalls. She could live in a place such as this.
Then, all at once, Raedwyn knew she was no longer alone. The sense that she was being watched caused the fine hairs on the back of her neck to prickle. Raedwyn’s empty stomach twisted itself into a hard ball. She had relaxed too soon. Slowly, Raedwyn turned back towards the riverbank. Her heart jumped into her throat when she saw the tall figure of a man swathed in a dark hooded cloak. He was standing on the riverbank next to her discarded boots and cloak, watching her. As she stared at him, paralyzed, the man pushed back his hood.
It was Caelin.
What a fool she had been to think she could outrun them. His face was unreadable, although she could see dark circles under his eyes.
“You are a difficult prey to track Raedwyn the Fair,” Caelin said finally, “but luckily for me I realized what the others did not.”
Raedwyn stared at him, unable to speak.
“You have no sense of direction,” Caelin continued, raising a dark eyebrow as he spoke. “While the rest of the trackers have gone north or west, the direction they assumed you’d go if you were searching for your father, I knew you’d blindly flee without much regard for direction.
Raedwyn felt her stomach sink earthwards at this news.
“Where am I then?” she whispered.
“Quite a considerable distance southeast.”
Raedwyn stared at Caelin, not sure whether she wanted to believe him.
“Are you coming out of the water Raedwyn,” Caelin said after a lengthy silence, “or must I come in and get you?”
Raedwyn glared at him. He was so smug in the knowledge he had caught her. She could not stand him smirking at her as if she was a naughty maid who had run away from home after a scolding from a parent. With a snarl, Raedwyn picked up her skirts and dove for the far riverbank. She slipped on a mossy stone and stubbed her toe, but scrambled on nonetheless. The water deepened and her wet skirts dragged her down but Raedwyn was determined. She reached the far side, and was just grappling her way up the steep bank when strong arms gripped her around the waist and yanked her back into the water.
Raedwyn screamed, drove her elbow back into Caelin’s stomach and kicked him in the shin. She heard Caelin swear as he released her and she scrabbled, once more, for the bank. This time Caelin grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back into the water. Raedwyn went under and came up spluttering and kicking, but Caelin held her fast. She glared up at his face, expecting to see Caelin furious as well, only to find him grinning at her.
“That was a decent enough attempt at escape.” He towed her back towards the opposite river bank. “I would have thought less of you if you hadn’t tried to get away, but we both know I’d catch you eventually.”
“Dog!” Raedwyn hissed at him as he pulled her up from the water. “My father will dismember you for this!”
They faced each other, both dripping wet, on the riverbank.
Despite her slowly subsiding anger, Raedwyn was suddenly aware of how close Caelin was standing to her – so
close that she could feel the heat of his body touching hers.
Caelin was watching her closely and Raedwyn felt her skin prickle under his surveillance. She was aware that her dress was now plastered against her skin and hugged every curve of her body. She looked down and was horrified to see her breasts were clearly visible and, worse still, her nipples were hard, straining against the wet fabric. She looked up and saw the state of her breasts had not been lost on Caelin. He was staring at them, his lips slightly parted. Then, his gaze moved upward and seized hers.
Caelin swore softy, stepped forward and brought his mouth down on Raedwyn’s. Their bodies, with only wet layers of clothing separating them, pressed together. Raedwyn’s head swam as his lips parted hers and the heat of his tongue filled her mouth. His hands moved across her shoulders, down the length of her back, and cupped her buttocks; bringing her hard against him so that she could feel his arousal.
Despite herself, Raedwyn groaned, and the sound brought Caelin to his senses. He tore his mouth from Raedwyn’s and released her. Caelin stepped back and Raedwyn saw the conflict on his face before he mastered his lust and took a deep breath.
“It seems that now we are even, Raedwyn the Fair,” he said before he reached down and picked up her cloak, tossing it to her. “Dry yourself off, or you’ll catch cold.”
Raedwyn clutched her cloak to her and dried her face on the scratchy woolen material before throwing Caelin a venomous look. Did he really think this was a game?
Meanwhile Caelin picked up his own cloak that he had discarded before going after Raedwyn and dried himself. He wore a thin linen tunic that hung to mid-thigh, belted at the waist; leggings and soft leather hunting boots. Wet, the clothes clung to his tall, lithe frame and Raedwyn allowed herself a moment of silent admiration, before she sat down and pulled on her boots.
“So what now?” she asked, her voice flat. “Are you taking me back to Ceolwulf?”
“Not today,” Caelin replied, still not looking at her. “We are both exhausted. We rest here this eve and travel at dawn tomorrow.”
Raedwyn felt a surge of wordless relief at this news; if she had to travel anymore today she would collapse. It was then she saw the two dead rabbits that hung from a nearby tree. Caelin saw the direction of her gaze and smiled.
“I thought you might be hungry,” he said lightly. “Help me gather wood for a fire and we can get these two roasting.”
***
A soft blanket of darkness settled over the trees as another night crept across the woodland. It was a still, warm night with a slightly clouded sky. They made camp by the river and Raedwyn sat before the fire, watching the rabbits roasting while she listened to the gently burbling river. The aroma of roasting meat was almost unbearably appetizing and Raedwyn stared at the bubbling rabbit skin, willing it to cook faster. Finally the rabbits were cooked. Caelin removed them from the spit and wordlessly the two of them fell upon their supper.
The rabbits were plump and juicy, and by the time Raedwyn had eaten her fill, nothing but a spare skeleton remained. After supper she went down to the water’s edge to drink and wash her greasy hands and chin before returning to the fire. Caelin had also finished eating and was poking the dying embers of the fire with a stick. The glowing embers lit Caelin’s face from below, casting his eye sockets into deep shadow and making him appear even more aloof than usual. Raedwyn sat down opposite him, placing the fire between them. She tucked her legs under her and watched him surreptitiously under lowered lids.
Silence had stretched between them for hours now, and Raedwyn was grateful for it. Her body ached and the rage and frustration of being caught had drained away, leaving her strangely numb. She had tried to fight them, and she had tried to escape. She had failed. Just one more night remained before Ceolwulf and Raedwald would meet in battle at dawn on Uffid Heath.
“You’ve succeeded in enraging my father once again.” Caelin spoke finally. “I thought he was going to swallow his own tongue when we discovered you were gone.”
Despite herself, Raedwyn smiled at the thought of Ceolwulf, purple-faced, choking on his tongue in a fit of apoplexy, before her smile faded and she met Caelin’s eye.
“He’ll murder me this time.”
Caelin shook his head. “He will have calmed down by the time we return.”
Silence hung between them for a moment before Raedwyn spoke.
“You don’t appear afraid of him. All the other men are.”
Caelin raised an eyebrow. “And with good reason.”
“So why aren’t you?”
Now it was Caelin’s turn to give a bitter smile. “Who says I’m not? My father and I have had our moments. I’ve had a lifetime to get used to him and his ways.”
“He appears to listen to you,” Raedwyn ventured. “No one else would stand up to him.”
“It was not always the case,” Caelin’s replied. “I have clear memories of our life at Rendlaesham before my father’s banishment. He was a proud and strong-willed young warrior who did not have much time for a young son. During my early years, I ran free in the King’s Hall and was raised by a collection of servants. After his exile, he was a wrathful and harsh father for many years. I was a constant reminder of the life he had left behind.”
Raedwyn pondered on his words for a moment before she asked. “Did he love your mother?”
Caelin chuckled then, his dark gaze pinning her.
“Love? Raedwyn, I don’t think love ever came into his feelings for my mother. If he ever pined for her, he’d recovered well enough by the time I was old enough to notice such things.” He paused then, observing her for a moment, before he sighed and stretched his long legs out in front of the fire. “Surely, you of all people know that most men and women come together, not out of love but necessity.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Raedwyn tensed.
“You didn’t marry Cynric for love, anyone could see that.”
“Of course I didn’t!” Raedwyn replied frostily. “It was an arranged marriage, like all royal marriages. It doesn’t mean I don’t believe in love. My parents love each other. I married Cynric as a duty to my father.”
“You are loyal Raedwyn,” Caelin said with a smile but there was no teasing in his voice. “We are both loyal.”
“Is that why you do your father’s bidding so readily,” Raedwyn asked, “out of loyalty?”
Caelin did not reply for a moment. He paused, as if measuring his words before answering her. “I am loyal to him yes, but I would not follow my father if I thought he was misguided. He was wronged and I gave him my word that I would fight by his side to regain his honor.”
Raedwyn could sense another argument brewing if she pursued the topic any further. Whereas a day earlier she would have lashed out at Caelin for his misguided loyalty to a brute like Ceolwulf, tonight she did not have the energy. She was tired of fighting him. She felt uncharacteristically fragile.
An owl hooted overhead and Raedwyn caught a glimpse of the night predator as it swooped soundlessly towards some unseen prey on the forest floor. The moon was rising above the treetops now and Raedwyn felt a pang of despair. This time tomorrow the moon would be full and they would be on the eve of battle.
Raedwyn yawned and rubbed her tired, gritty eyes.
“I think, if you don’t mind, I’ll sleep now,” she said, wrapping her cloak about her and stretching out on the ground next to the fire.
Caelin got to his feet and stretched before coming over to her side of the fire, wrapping himself in his cloak and lying down behind her. He reached across and pulled her against him so her back pressed up against his chest.
Raedwyn squirmed away from him. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Caelin laughed. “Don’t worry princess, I shall try and keep my hands to myself this time. Sorry, but I’m not letting you out of my sight again. We’re going to have to sleep together so I’ll wake up if you try to sneak off.”
“I won’t be able to sleep with you
snoring in my ear!” Raedwyn protested, feeling her face grow hot. She had been so tired and dejected the thought of escape had not crossed her mind. Now though, she realized it would be easy to slip away into the darkness while Caelin slept.
“Who says I snore?” Raedwyn could hear the laughter in his voice. He was enjoying this. Caelin had always appeared so cool and aloof around his father and the other men. This light, more playful side to him surprised Raedwyn.
“And I won’t be able to sleep with you gripping me in a bear hug either!” Raedwyn struggled against his arm that lay across her waist and stomach, which only caused him to tighten his hold on her.
“Bad luck then,” Caelin replied, “because I won’t have any trouble sleeping myself.”
Raedwyn lay there, her body as rigid as a drawn bow-string while acutely aware of the warmth of Caelin’s body pressing against her. If she had not been so affronted, the feel of his arms around her would have been pleasant but Raedwyn felt worn out. She did not want to be touched tonight. Tears stung her eyes but she did not bother to argue any more.
Time passed slowly in the dark woodland and presently Raedwyn heard Caelin’s breathing deepen. The arm he had wrapped around her relaxed and gradually Raedwyn felt the tension ebb out of her own body. Despite everything, she found Caelin’s presence oddly protective and reassuring. Yet, the things he had said to her back in Ceolwulf’s camp still stung – and she would not forget them in a hurry.
Tomorrow he would drag her back to Ceolwulf, and despite Caelin’s assertion that his father would control his temper, Raedwyn was not inclined to believe him. She had seen the madness light in Ceolwulf’s eyes when he looked upon her. He hated her. Raedwyn doubted her father would get her back alive.
Chapter Six
Raedwyn awoke from a deep slumber and had a few moments of reprieve, before reality came crashing back and emptied over her. She stifled a groan and wished the oblivion of sleep could have continued indefinitely.
